Torpedo-launching mechanism



W. DIETER.

TORPEDO LAUNCHING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22. 1921. RENEWED NOV. 26.1921.

Patented Jan. 10, 1922;

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TORPEDO LAUNCHING MECHANISM.

1921. RENEWED NOV. 26,1921.

Patented Jan. 10, 1922.

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APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22-

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 10, 1922.

Application filed January 22, 1921, Serial No. 439,213. Renewed November 26, 1921. Serial No. 518,070.

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM DIETER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Torpedo-Launching Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for launching torpedoes, being especially adapted to the launching of torpedoes such as the Bliss Leavitt, wherein the gyroscope is air-spun, and to torpedo launching tubes wherein cmpressed air is the medium for expelling the torpedo.

The object of the invention is to provide safeguards against improper launching, that is, launching under conditions which are unsuitable for the assuredly successful perfOllllllli'e of the launching operation. The

first required condition is the assurance that there exists in the source of supply a sufiicient air pressure to insure the proper launching of the torpedo from its tube. The second requisite is that at the source of compressed air for spinning up the gyroscope there shall be sufficient pressure to insure its correct spinning before the launching. The third requisite is that sufiicient time shall be allowed to complete the spinning up operation before the admission of air to the launching tube for effectin the launching. The present invention provides means for preventing launching when either the launching pressure is insuflicient, or the spinning-up pressure is insufiicient, or a suiiicient time for spinning up has'not yet elapsed.

The invention is specifically designed for use with the spinning-up and launching mechanism set forth in my application Serial No. 351,523, filed January 15, 1920. It is, however, applicable, in part at least, with other apparatus.

- The invention will be illustrated and described with reference to its application to the construction set forth in said application for patent.

In the accompanying drawings,-

Figure l is an elevation of a launching apparatus with the launching .tube partly in section, and certain of the parts shown in a somewhat diagrammatic arrangement; I

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, on a larger scale, showing the coactive relation of the elements controlling the spinning-up and launching operations, the arrangement of parts being somewhat diagrammatic;

Fig. 3 is an elevation similar to Fig. 2, but showing the practically preferred construction for actual use, the view being mainly a side elevation, partly in vertical section;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view in a transverse plane indicated approximately by the line 4-4: in Fig. 3, showing the same construction.

The invention can be best made clear with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. In these figures, A is the torpedo, B the launching tube, C the usual tank pertaining to the launching tube for supplying compressed air for launching, D the usual launching valve controlling the flow of air from C to B, E the valveoperating rod, F the valve-operating lever with its locking sector G, and H the usual trip lever for holding this sector normally locked and unlocking it when launching is to occur. All of these parts are of the usual construction, except in the respects hereinafter stated. As usual, the lever F has a downwardly-projecting arm F connected through a rod 1 to the usual torpedo lock 1' which prevents the accidental forward movement of the torpedo while in the launching tube, such lock being ultimately withdrawn by the operation of the lever F to open the valve D. The opening of 'the valve D permits compressed air to pass from theta nk C through a passage in the casting J which connects the tank with the launch-.

ing tube, this passage leading from the tank to the valve and thence from the valve to the breech portion of the launching tube.v

The torpedo look I is shown as of usual construction. It has a spring I which pulls on the rod I in the direction of the arrow.

According to said prior application, another tank K is provided containing compressed air for spinning the gyroscope. This air is in practice usually at a pressure of about 2800 pounds per square inch, whereas that in tank C is at about 75 pounds per square inch. It is best to have the tank K distinct from any other source of compressed air, and to give it capacity just sufficient for one spinning-up operation. Air is pumped into tank K through valve a, and its discharge therefrom is governed by a valve L which controls the outflow of coma tube T which is extended within the torpedo and led to the inlet T supplying air to the spinning-up turbine R of the gyroscope, which latter is of the usual construction, being enclosed in the usual gyro pot S, and the steering engine U being controlled therefrom in the well known manner. The

' bottom of the tank K has a blow-off valve Z) which may be opened to blow out any water, or to relieve excess pressure of air. The tank K has a gauge 0 to show the pressure. The outlet valve L is controlled by a pilot valve 7' similar to the starting valve of a torpedo, the connection with which is through a tube 70. The opening of the pilot valve 7' to admit air for spinning up the gyroscope is accomplished by a control lever U against the action of a spring a, the lever.

having a rod 0 which enters a shell of valve j to unseat the tappet thereof. The control lever U is shown as pivoted at 7) on the same pivot as the unlocking lever H, and with a lug 7" adapted to press down lever H when the lever U has moved through a preliminary movement, its preliminary movement being the one which opens the valve For a more detailed illustration of these parts, reference is made to my said prior application.

In perating the apparatus so far as described, the operator, after Seeing that everything is in readiness for the launching, first presses down control lever U until its lug r strikes lever H, thus encountering added resistance, whereupon the operator should pause while the compressed air is flowing from K to spin the gyroscope (an operation which may take less than a second, or possibly one or two seconds); the gauge 0 shows the fall in pressure which corresponds to the completion of the spinning-up operatlion, and when this determined fall has occurred, the operator may then continue the movement of the lever U to operate lever H and withdraw it from section G, whereby simultaneously to unlock the torpedo in the launching tube and open the launching valve D and admit compressed air from G into the launching tube to effect the launching.

If the operation is conducted as thus described, and if, at the outset, the tanks C and K were properly charged, the spinningup and launching operations will be suc cessfully accomplished. But there is always the possibility that the tanks C and K may not have been charged, or not charged with suflicient pressure; and there is also the possibility, especially under actual war conditions, that the oflicer performing these operations may, under stress of excitement, carry down the lever U too rapidly and thus afford insufficient time to complete the spinning up of the gyroscope. In any of these cases the launching would be either not performed, or imperfectly performed.

The present invention provides means for insuring that these several operations shall be performed only under proper conditions to insure successful launching and the proper spinning up and release of the gyroscope, so that the torpedo, when launched, will be able to steer effectively toward the target at which it was aimed.

These conditions are performed by the provision of three pressure-governed locks or stops V, X and Y, which engage the levers U and H and lock them against operation, except when the necessary conditions have been performed. These locking means will now be described.

The device W comprises a pneumatic cylinder andpiston with a connection to the tank C, a part 10 0f the device standing normally as a lock in the path of an arm or portion 11 of the lever U, the construction being such-that an adequate pressure of air admitted from tank C forces back the piston and withdraws the part 10 to free the lever U. In the construction shown, a cylinder 12 is provided, in which works a piston 13 fixed on a piston rod 14 and receiving pressure from an internal spring'15 on one side, while on the other side is a space or chamber communicating through a tube 16 with the tank C. The spring 15 might be substituted by any other means for generating a sufficient pressure against the piston to hold the locking part 10 (which may be the protruding end of the piston rod 14) out until the full normal pressure is introduced into tank C, whereupon this pressure overcomes such force and displaces the pi ton to remove the locklO. The simplest construction is to provide a spring of the requisite strength.

The locking device X is of similar construction to WV, but the pressure to which it responds is communicated from the tank K. Here the locking part 20 engages an arm or portion 21 of the lever U, and is formed asthe end of a piston rod 22 on which is fixed a piston 23 moving in a cylinder 24 which communicates by a tube 25 and tube 26 with the tank K; back of the piston 23 is a spring 27. The cylinder, like that of WV, is best formed with a spring enclosed in a separate chamber or shell 28. In both cases any suitable stufling box may be applied around the piston rod.

The lock or stop device Y has its protruding portion 30 normally standing in the path of the lever H, being shown as formed moves in a cylinder 33 the interior of which communicates beneath the piston by a conduit 8& with the conduit 26 leading from the tank K. The piston rod 31 re.- ceives the downward pressure of a spring 35 preferably enclosed in a shell or casing 36.

In operation, it either tank C or K contains an insufficient pressure of air, the looking devices or X (or both) are held by the pressure of their springs with their looking parts projecting so as to lock the lever U against the operative movement and prevent the starting of the launching operations. If, however, these tanks contain the normal air pressure, this pressure, communicated to the cylinders in which the pistons move, presses back the latter against the pressure of their springs and withdraws the locking parts 10 and 20, so that the lever U is free to make its preliminary movement and thereby to open the pilot valve j, and thus to control the admission of air to spin the gyroscope. The pressure of air from tank K, admitted to device Y, presses up its piston 32 so that its projecting portion 30 stands beneath the lever H and resists the movement of this lever with all the force due to the high pressure of air which exists in tank K, until this pressure has been dropped by the outflow of air which occurs during the spinning-up operation; until this drop of pressure it is impossible for the operator to continue the downward movement of lever U because of the strong opposition thereto interposed by the stop device Y. As soon, however, as the greater part (or all) of the pressure from tank K has escaped, the resistance against the piston 32 is so reduced that the operator is enabled to complete the movement of lever U, thereby operating the lever H and tripping the sector G, whereupon the usual launching movements occur; that is to say, the rod 1 moves (to the right in Fig. 1) to unlock the torpedo, and the rod E descends, opening valve D and admitting air to the torpedo tube to launch the torpedo. Thus the device Y eiiectually prevents the possibility'of the lunaching operation following so closely after the admission of air for spinning as to prevent the full and proper completion of the spinning operation.

While the description thus given applies primarily to the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it is equally applicable to the practically preferred construction shown in Figs. 3 and at, in which the lock devices and X are differently arranged, engaging laterally against the main arm of the lever U, the special arms 11 and 21 shown in Fig. 2 being therefore unnecessary. The lateral arrangement of the devices W and X is apparent from Fig. 4, where the levers U and H are shown in transverse section, the location of the stop device Y beneath the lever H being unchanged The stop end portions 10 and 20 of the piston rods of the devices W and X project into alignment directly over lever U, one oi them being shown at 20 in Fig. 3, where they are both engaged by a bolt 40 slidable in a guide 11 and held in engagement by a spring 42. The active end of the bolt 40 is wide enough to engage both the locking parts 10 and 20, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4:. The bolt 40 has a beveled face 43, the purpose of which is to facilitate the replacement of the lever U into its initial position preparatory to the next launching operation, in which this incline encounters the stop portions 10 and 20 if they stand in the protruded positions. Thus, it is unnecessary to charge the tanks C and K with pressure before restoring the lever U to its starting position. The con struction shown in Fig. t facilitates the arrangement of conduits for admitting compressed air from the tank C to the cylinders of Y and X, as these latter may be cast in one piece and connected by a duct 25 formed by boring out and plugging the casting, as clearly shown.

The invention is in part applicable to launching tubes which launch the torpedo by gaseous pressure derived from the eX- plosion of gun powder or other explosive contained usually in a cartridge which is applied in the breech portion of the launching tube. When so used, as the compressed air tank G is non-existent, the stop device "V will beomitted; and the lever F, instead of connecting by rod E to a valve D, connects in similar manner to a detonator for exploding the cartridge, all as is well known.

The invention may be modified according to circumstances, or to adapt it to the particular construction of torpedo or launching tube with which it is to be used, such modifications being within the skill and judg' ment of engineers familiar with such apparatus. While the preferred construction of the several devices, and their preferred connection with the respective compressed air tanks, is shown, it will be understood that the construction may be altered or modified in these respects without departing from the invention, the essentials of which are set forth in the claims.

The invention is in part applicable to the launching of torpedoes from air-craft, where the gyroscope is spun up while carried by the air ship or air-plane, and the torpedo afterward dropped into the water.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a torpedo launching tube and its control means, and a compressed air tank, of a. lock for said means, and a pressure-operated means communicating with said tank, adapted to withdraw said lock in response to an adequate operative pressure in said tank, whereby the control means is locked against operation under insufficient pressure.

2. A launching tube, a compressed air tank, and a torpedo having an air-spun gyroscope, with a conduit conducting air from said tank to the torpedo for spinning the gyroscope, a valve in said conduit and means for operating such valve, combined with a lock for said valve-operating means, and pressure-operated means controlling said lock, communicating with said tank, to control the opening of said valve according to the pressure in said tank.

3. A launching device having means. for launching the torpedo, a torpedo comprising an air-spun gyroscope, -a compressed air f tank, a conduit leading compressed air therefrom to said torpedo to spin the gyroscope, a valve controlling said conduit, and operating means adapted to operate said launching means, combined with a pressure-operated device for controlling said operating means, communicating with said tank and adapted to resist the operation of said operating means until the pressure in said tank has fallen to a predetermined extent, whereby .to prevent the premature launching of the torpedo before the complete spinning of its gyroscope.

1. A launching device, a torpedo having an air-spun gyroscope, an air tank, operating means for said launching device, and means for admitting air from said tank to spin the gyroscope, combined with means operated by the pressure in said tank for controlling the operation of said means for admitting air, whereby to prevent the admission of air to spin the gyroscope, except when said tank contains air under adequate pressure.

5. A launching tube, a torpedo having an air-spun gyroscope, an air tank, operating means for said launching tube, means for admitting air from said tank to spin the gyroscope, combined with means operated by the pressure in Said tank for controlling the operation of said operating means, whereby to prevent the launching of; the torpedo until such fall of pressure has occurred as corresponds to a completion of the gyroscope spin.

6. A launching tube, a torpedo having an .air-spun gyroscope, an air tank, operating means. for said launching tube, means for admitting air from said tank to spin the gyroscope, combined with means operated by the pressure in said tank for controlling the operation of said means for admitting air, and for controlling said operating means, adapted to prevent the spinning of the gyroscope except when the air in said tank is at adequate pressure, and to prevent the launching until such fall .of pressure has occurred as corresponds to a completion of the gyroscope spin.

7'. A launching tube with its compressed air tank and control lever, a torpedo having an air-spun gyroscope, a second compressedair tank, a conduit leading air from said second tank to spin the gyroscope, and a valve operated by said lever to admit air through said conduit, combined with locking means for said lever controlled by the pressure in said tanks to prevent operation of the lever if the pressure in either tank is inadequate.

8. The combination of claim 1, with means. operative to permit restoration of the lever to its starting position independently of the pressure in said tank. 7

9. The combination of claim 8, such means comprising a movable catch yielding to. the movement of the lever to its starting position and unyielding to its operative movement.

10. The combination of claim 1, such pressure-operated means comprising a cyl-' inder and piston, and pressure means forcing such piston to the locked position under a fluid pressure less than the normal, and yielding to the normal pressure.

11. The combination of claim 3, such pressure-operative device comprising a cylinder and piston, the piston rod adapted to engage the operating means to resist the operative movement thereof, and adapted to yield and permit such movement under a predetermined fall of pressure.

12. The combination of claim 11, with a spring tending to displace the piston, and

holding the device in idle position except under a predetermined fluid pressure.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

WVILLIAM DIETER. 

